The novel coronavirus has hit the United States hard, with Louisiana and the greater Gulf South in particular struggling to deal with the pandemic. That includes New Orleans, the home of the Saints; in a recent interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Mayor LaToya Cantrell outlined the difficulties her city has dealt with so far and discussed the new challenges still on the horizon.
“Let me tell you, 30% of our workforce in the city is tied to our hospitality and tourism industry,” Cantrell said. “The city of New Orleans right now is looking at a $150 million deficit with about $126 million tied to sales tax, which is absolutely because of our industry … I don’t see how a city will be able to operate in terms of basic city services, let alone host large-scale festivals.”
With travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders in place across the country, dollars that would normally pour into New Orleans from the millions of annual visitors have dried up. Landmark music festivals like Jazz Fest, Essence Fest, and Voodoo Fest have each canceled their 2020 events, and the 100-plus smaller festivals that fill the city calendar are also expected to diminish.
While the NFL is at work in determining when and how to safely conduct its 2020 season, precautions in the wake of the coronavirus are also expected to change how games themselves are played. It’s not as simple as putting 22 players on the field — each side’s 53-man roster is supplemented by coaching staffs, gameday operations personnel, and team medical trainers who might otherwise be working in hospitals or clinics.
And that’s something weighing on Cantrell’s mind. When asked whether her hometown Saints could be expected to play games in 2020, she deferred to the league’s judgment, acknowledging the difficulties in organizing even a bare-bones game: “I know that the NFL is working very hard to determine methods of re-engagement, like no fans present. I think that is the best way to go, but I know they’re working very hard as it relates to not only the players but the staff that is required to even host a sporting event.”
The NFL is expected to release its 2020 schedule no later than May 9. For the curious, the Saints are set to host visitors including the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and NFC title contenders like the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Minnesota Vikings, as well as Tom Brady’s refurbished Tampa Bay Buccaneers (along with the other, lesser NFC South teams).
A Saints season without fans crowding the Mercedes-Benz Superdome would be tough to accept, especially in what might be the final year of Drew Brees’ playing career; he has already made retirement plans to join NBC Sports once he’s hung up his cleats. But that might be the way to go with the public health and safety in mind.
